


Sole Match

by The_Epitome_of_Pretense



Series: The Sole Saga [22]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Awkward Kiss, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Forehead Touch, Friend Kiss, Kissing, Matchmaking, Robot/Human Relationships, platonic kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-20
Updated: 2018-12-20
Packaged: 2019-09-23 16:58:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17084171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Epitome_of_Pretense/pseuds/The_Epitome_of_Pretense
Summary: DiMA learns about human displays of affection. Things get awkward.





	Sole Match

**Author's Note:**

> Hello to both of my readers! Here's some fluff; I hope you like it! If you do, feel free to comment or toss me a kudo! Don't worry, I'll catch it!

Sole had asked Faraday to stay and talk a while longer with her and Nick and DiMA, but he excused himself to work on something else. He didn’t say what it was, merely that it was important. Sole didn’t buy it. Every time he looked at DiMA, his eyes held the same pain and sadness that she used to see in her own reflection. She wished there was something she could do for him, but she knew better. It didn’t work to force that kind of thing. To top it off, she got the feeling that DiMA wasn’t the relationship type.

She sighed and leaned on Nick. They had pulled up a few chairs around DiMA’s; Sole couldn’t say how long they had been talking. She struggled to keep her eyes open.

“After Dino dropped, I saw her pop up in the window,” Nick said, jostling her, “and I thought to myself, ‘there’s no way this fish-bone is getting me out of here.’ But boy, did she prove me wrong. A regular knight in shining armor over here.”

“You should be the knight, with all that shiny metal,” she said.

“I don’t think any part of me has been shiny in decades.”

“Oh, fine. I’ll be the knight.”

“Whatever you do, I’m done with being a damsel.”

Sole sat up and stretched.

“I think I’m going to head to bed. You boys have fun catching up,” she said with a yawn.

“‘Night, Doll,” Nick said.

“Sleep well,” DiMA added.

She started for the hall, then paused and doubled back. She came up behind Nick and rubbed his shoulders.

“Well I never,” she said. “You let me leave without a smooch.”

“Maybe later—”

“A what?” DiMA asked.

There was a pause.

“A smooch. You know,” Sole said.

He stared at them blankly.

“A kiss.”

“So anyway,” Nick interjected, “that was when Skinny Malone showed up and—”

“Do folks these days really not use that word?” Sole continued.

“No, not that I have heard,” DiMA said. “Is it colloquial?”

“—He gave us ten seconds to beat it before he opened fire.”

“Why is it called that?”

“I have no idea,” Nick said, exasperated. “These aren’t the sort of things I ponder from day to day. Let’s change the subject—“

“I always figured it had to do with the sound,” Sole said. “Don’t you think?”

Nick crushed his hat down over his eyes.

“For goodness sake…” he muttered.

“Yeah, it must be the sound,” she said, then demonstrated by kissing his cheek. “See? Though it works better on the lips.”

“Is that how you normally kiss?”

“Sure is.”

“Usually not in front of people…” Nick said.

DiMA knitted his brow in a confused expression.

“And Nick, you enjoy kissing her?” He asked.

Nick let out a stifled groan.

“Yep,” he said curtly.

“Fascinating. May I try?”

A shocked silence fell on them. Nick looked over his crumpled hat.

“God I hope you mean with her,” he said after a moment.

“Yes, with her.”

“Alright then. Care to tell me why you want to kiss my lady?”

“Because you enjoy it.”

Nick threw his hand up in frustration.

“Oh, of course, makes perfect sense.”

“I think we’ll need a little more to go on,” Sole added.

“I’ve never attempted anything romantic because I assumed that such feelings were simply not possible for synths of our generation,” he said. “But seeing as you, Nick, are capable of experiencing and enjoying that sort of interaction, I would be interested in trying it for myself. Perhaps I could come to a better understanding of human relationships—and, by extension, become a better leader for everyone here—if I had a better grasp of the emotions involved.”

Nick let out a grumbling sigh.

“Well. Thank you for your honesty. Would you excuse us a moment?”

He stood and pulled Sole into the hall.

“That was awkward,” she said.

“You’re telling me. So how do we let him know that you don’t go around kissing your brother’s gal?”

“Well, he did ask nicely.”

He gave her an incredulous look.

“Don’t tell me you’re thinking about doing it.”

“I don’t know, maybe.”

“You got a type or something?”

“Psh—I mean—if you’re asking whether or not I think your brother—your literal twin brother—is attractive, then, okay, I do, but that’s not why I’d be willing to go through with this.”

“Illuminate me, then.”

Sole crossed her arms over her middle.

“Because he may say that he just wants to understand human things better, but I don’t think that’s it. I think what he really wants is to feel a little warmth and affection. And I can sympathize with that,” she said.

Nick looked at the floor, nodding solemnly.

“Yeah. I guess I can too.”

“I won’t do it if it bothers you. It’s a pretty weird situation we’re in, I must admit.”

“Aw, the whole damn world is screwy,” He ran a hand over his scalp, letting it come to rest on the back of his neck. His brow knitted in thought. After a moment, he said, 

“Go ahead. Just make it quick. I’ll meet you downstairs when you’re done, and then we’ll never speak of this again.”

She straightened his tie and smoothed the lapel of his jacket.

“You got it.”

“And I’ll expect a kiss twice as good when you get there.”

Sole laughed to herself.

“You drive a hard bargain, Mr. Valentine. But you’ve got a deal.”

She gave him a peck on the cheek before returning to the computer room. DiMA met her by the door.

“I hope I didn’t make things uncomfortable for you two,” he said. “I now realize that was an odd request.”

“It’s alright. We talked it over, and he’s okay with it just this once.”

“Are you?”

“Yeah, I’m okay with it.”

“I see. How do we begin?”

Sole glanced around the room. The open layout felt too vulnerable.

“Let’s go behind all these monitors,” she said. “I’d hate for someone to walk in on us and get the wrong idea.”

He followed her to the other side of the room, where they found a more private, shadowed place. DiMA kept a respectful distance. She stepped closer, then hesitated. Having been with Nick for so long made her unsure of how to proceed. To some degree, she could predict how he would react to her touch. But DiMA was a new challenge.

“Is something wrong?” He said.

“I guess I’m not sure how to start,” she said. “It’s hard when I don’t know the guy very well.”

“How would you do this with Nick?”

“Oh boy… Well, usually he puts his arms around me.”

DiMA wrapped his arms about her shoulders, his posture rigid and statue-like.

“Like this?”

“Um, a little lower, around my waist. The goal is to get the other person as close as possible.”

He adjusted his arms and tightened his grip. Now they were pressed together properly. Sole couldn’t help but notice how vastly different it felt than when Nick held her close. Aside from the exposed metal structures that dug into her skin, DiMA had a higher temperature overall; Sole figured it must be from all the extra pieces and parts.

She put her hands on his shoulders, careful to avoid the bundles of wires. She tilted her head—only to find that he was too far away. She never realized before how much Nick had to compensate for their height difference. 

“Now, um, lean in a little,” she said.

“Alright.”

“And most people close their eyes. Kissing with eyes open can come across—well, a little creepy.”

He let his eyes fall shut. Sole hesitated, then touched her forehead to his.

“What next?” He said.

“Well, I find that it makes the experience better to say something sweet to each other,” she said, then wished she hadn’t. She wasn’t sure what sweet thing to say. “Um—you go first.”

“Hmm. You expertly manipulated the inner workings of my memory system.”

She blushed. 

“A little odd, but I’ll take it. And you—you’ve done a great thing, giving synths a safe place to call home.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

A pause came and drew on too long to be comfortable. DiMA stood still, awaiting her instruction. She took a deep breath and kissed him.

He didn’t react, but when she pulled away, she found that his eyes were open. 

“Is that all?” He said.

“What do you mean, ‘is that all?’ That was it, that was a kiss.”

“It seems strange to put so much emphasis on such a little gesture.”

“In my defense, that one was pretty one-sided.”

“Shall we try again?"

“I guess we’d better.”

She stood on her toes and kissed him, a little more vigorously this time. He took it still as stone.

“I’m still not sure I understand,” he said.

“You’re just standing there like a mannequin,” Sole huffed. “You’ve gotta give me something to work with. Let yourself move around a little. And breathe.”

She leaned in again and wrapped her fingers around the back of his neck. This time he pulled her closer, moving against her, clutching at her back. 

“There,” she said, a little breathless. “Now that was a decent kiss.”

“I didn’t feel anything.”

Sole tried not to let her disappointment show. She thought it was pretty good.

“Relax a little bit,” she said. “Maybe you’re overthinking it. Yeah, that must be it. Try not to think; just let yourself be in the moment. Focus on how it feels.”

He kissed her, moving with her this time, letting his lips gently conform to hers. When he pulled away, Sole found herself too distracted to say anything.

_Damn_ , _he’s_ _a_ _quick_ _learner_ , she thought.

“I didn’t feel anything that time, either,” he said. “Perhaps this is one experience I will never understand.”

“Don’t get discouraged. You’re probably just like me is all.”

“What do you mean?”

“I could kiss a dozen people and it wouldn’t mean much. But when it’s the right person? Goodness. It’s like fireworks. Like… everything else disappears, and the only thing on your mind is them.”

“Is that how it is when you and Nick kiss?”

“Sure is.”

“And he feels the same? He experiences the ‘fireworks?’”

“I assume so. He keeps kissing me, at any rate.”

“This is very strange.”

“Don’t let it get you down. It just needs to be the right person.”

“I’m not sure who else would be willing to try.”

“Hmm…” Sole pretended to think it over. At last she smiled and said, “Go ask Faraday.”

**Author's Note:**

> "He's not the guy who cared about love  
> And he's not the guy who cared about fortunes and such  
> He never cared much  
> Oh! Look at him now!
> 
> "He never knew the technique of kissing  
> And he never knew the thrill he could get from your touch  
> He never cared much  
> Oh! Look at him now!"
> 
> –"Oh! Look at Me Now," The Pied Pipers
> 
> Don't worry, Faraday. Granny Wing-man's got your back.


End file.
